


Tatooine Exile

by Chameleon777



Series: An Altered Destiny [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 08:22:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12908007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chameleon777/pseuds/Chameleon777
Summary: Sequel to 'Fluctuating Destinies'. After surviving the horrors of Mustafar, Anakin is forced to re-train as both a person and a Jedi,starting with a fight to survive the last attack from Sidious...Time will only tell what fate has in store for all...





	Tatooine Exile

As the suns continued to set, Beru's attention turned from the man's words to Anakin, who was still watching the suns with Luke asleep in the crook of his arm.

"Anakin?" Beru asked quietly, as she walked over to him unsure of what his reaction to her would be. "Anakin, are you all right?"

There was a brief silence and then Anakin turned to Beru, "Please, Beru, can you hold Luke for me?" he asked quietly, extending the sleeping boy to her. "Please, take him quickly."

Concerned, Beru nodded and carefully took Luke from Anakin's arm. Her eyes widened in shock as Anakin, who was totally spent, collapsed to his knees and lowered his head towards the ground, as if he were either going to be sick or faint. Fortunately, Luke remained asleep.

"Owen....." Beru started, as she looked back only to see that both Owen and the stranger had seen Anakin collapse and were now coming over to help. For the first time since they had arrived, Beru suddenly noticed that Anakin looked as if he had aged many years.

"Come on, Anakin," Obi-Wan gently chided, as he and Owen helped the shaky Jedi Knight into an upright position. "Can you walk on your own?"

Closing his eyes, Anakin weakly shook his head, he had no strength left. 

Having expected this, as Anakin had physically pushed himself to get to the homestead for Luke's sake, Obi-Wan placed Anakin's mechanical arm over his shoulder to help his friend inside. Once Anakin was being cared for, he could then leave and get on with his own training.

"Why don't you stay the night, sir?" Owen suggested, as he took Anakin's other arm and assisted in getting his weary half-brother to the house. "It's getting dark and too dangerous to be outside."

There was silence as the two men helped Anakin into the house and Beru quickly followed them inside, carrying Luke, who had since woken but was quiet. Originally, Obi-Wan was going to drop off Anakin and Luke and depart, but now that didn't seem like such a wise idea.

"Please, I insist that you stay," Beru said, as she placed the quiet Luke in an old highchair and hurried off to the kitchen to finish dinner preparations. "I think you all could use a good meal and a safe place to rest."

As Beru bustled around the kitchen, Obi-Wan and Owen helped Anakin, who was trying to muster the strength to stay awake, sit at the table next to where Luke waited in his highchair. At the other end of the table, a young boy who had ear-length sandy hair, green eyes and was dressed in warm peasant clothes, gave his father and the three strangers a curious look.

"Daddy, who are those guys?" the small boy asked curiously.

Silently reminding himself that he had to teach his son proper manners eventually, Owen gave the boy a smile, "Derrick, the younger man and the little boy are your Uncle Anakin and your cousin, Luke," he explained patiently. 

"Oh, okay," Derrick replied, now turning his attention to Obi-Wan. "Who's the guy with the fuzzy face, then, Daddy?"

His cheeks red with embarrassment, Owen turned away and tried not to laugh at the five year-old's description of Anakin's friend, "My name is Ben Kenobi and I'm a friend of your Uncle Anakin," Obi-Wan explained. 

Regaining his composure, Owen turned around just in time for Beru to bring in the evening meal and set it on the table. Suddenly smelling food, Anakin opened his eyes.

"Here's some food for Luke," Beru gently stated, as she placed a bowl full of baby food and a spoon on the counter of Luke's highchair. "I can feed him if you want, Anakin."

Shaking his head, Anakin quickly picked up the spoon, "Thank you, Beru, but I want to care for my son," he quietly replied, as he began feeding Luke. "That is why I am here."

There was a moment of awkward silence as everyone gathered their food and began to eat and then suddenly, Derrick looked at Anakin, "Are you okay, Uncle Anakin?" he asked, worried by the fact that his uncle wasn't eating any of the food.

"Derrick, it's not polite to pester your uncle with questions," Owen firmly stated. "Eat your food."

Since he had already eaten most of his meal, Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, "You need to eat, Anakin," he gently stated. "It's important for you to keep your strength up."

"I don't feel like it," Anakin replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Uncle Anakin, why do you have a metal hand?" Derrick asked, suddenly noticing that the hand that Anakin used to feed Luke was not like everyone else's hands.

Mortified that Derrick seemed to be in the mood of asking too many questions that evening, Owen gently nudged him, "Eat your dinner and leave your uncle alone," he ordered.

Feeling uncomfortable at suddenly being the center of attention, Anakin rose from the table and slowly left the dining room. Worried that he upset his uncle, Derrick suddenly began to cry.

"I-I didn't MEAN to make Uncle Anakin sad!" Derrick howled, tears running down his face.

Sighing, as the boy still had a lot to learn and was too young to understand the horrors that Anakin had recently been through, Owen picked up Derrick on to his lap and hugged him.

"Derrick's only been with us for six months and he's still learning," Owen explained to Obi-Wan, as Derrick nestled his tear-stricken face into his shoulder. 

Obi-Wan nodded, but he frowned and rose from the table, "I'm going to check on Anakin," he stated, as he moved away. "Dinner was lovely, thank you."

As Obi-Wan left the room, Beru quickly took the spoon and continued to feed Luke. She cast a glance at Owen, who was still holding Derrick. It was if they were thinking the same thing.

What horrors had Anakin been through to turn him into such an unrecognizable shell?  
*****************************************************************************************************  
After a few minutes of searching the house, Obi-Wan had finally found Anakin alone in one of the guest bedrooms, sitting on the bed and staring off into space.

"I'm tired, Master," Anakin spoke, his voice hollow. 

Realizing that Anakin might not even have enough strength to lay down, Obi-Wan moved into the room and helped him to lay flat. He then covered the weary Jedi with his cloak.

"Tomorrow, Anakin, you're going to eat something or you'll be force fed," Obi-Wan stated, seeing that Anakin was quickly falling asleep. "Rest well."

Rising, Obi-Wan quietly left the room. He knew that by the time the sun was high, he'd be gone.  
****************************************************************************************************  
Hours later, Obi-Wan, who had slept on the living room couch, awoke to retching sounds.

Oh, dear. Anakin is going to have to eat today, whether he likes it or not. He thought. The amount of strength he exerted yesterday and the fact that he didn't eat was bound to make him sick.

Yawning, Obi-Wan rose from his couch, smoothed out his peasant outfit and quietly went into the kitchen, only to find Beru already up and preparing the morning meal.

"How was your sleep, Mr. Kenobi?" Beru asked, as she turned to face him.

Obi-Wan smiled, however, before he could reply, Derrick ran into the room looking rather scared.

"Mommy, Uncle Anakin just puked some juice into the sink," Derrick stated, as he clung to Beru's leg for support. "He says that his insides hurt and he wants to sleep."

Beru gazed down at Derrick, "Juice, dear?" she asked. "What color was this juice?"

"It was a lot of red juice and it made Uncle Anakin close his eyes," Derrick explained. 

Suddenly realizing that Derrick was trying to tell them that Anakin had thrown up blood, Obi-Wan quickly left the room. Obviously, Anakin was more injured than anyone had realized.

Obi-Wan arrived in the doorway of the fresher and was a bit afraid at seeing Anakin sitting on the edge of the lavatory with his face in his hands. He moved into the fresher.

"I-I don't feel good," Anakin gasped. "I'm bleeding inside, Master. I need help."

Silently cursing, Obi-Wan gently pulled Anakin to his feet and helped him out of the fresher, nearly running into Owen, who had been told by Beru of Anakin throwing up blood and had immediately come in from the garage to see the issue for himself.

"Anakin needs a medic," Obi-Wan told Owen, as he valiantly tried to keep Anakin from falling out of his grasp and on to the floor. "Where is the nearest medical facility?"

Too shocked to say anything, Owen motioned for Obi-Wan to bring Anakin and follow him.  
*********************************************************************************************************  
With the suns high in the sky and bearing down on them, Obi-Wan navigated the speeder into the community of Mos Eisley. Beside him, Anakin was wrapped in his cloak, fighting to hang on.

Owen had not only helped carry Anakin to the speeder, he had also provided Obi-Wan with the name and location of a very skilled medic that lived in Mos Eisley. This medic, Owen said, was capable of miraculous works and was the only person that could truly help Anakin.

Expressing regret that he himself couldn't show them the way, as he had to look after the homestead, Beru, Derrick, and Luke, Owen wished 'Ben' and Anakin luck.

Now, after speeding from the Lars homestead, Obi-Wan, despite his hatred of being in anything that left the ground, found himself behind the wheel, looking for this mysterious medic.

"Master....I can't....hang on," Anakin suddenly rasped, his voice weak.

Frowning, Obi-Wan quickly pulled over and placed a hand on Anakin's forehead. It was ice cold.

Using the Force, he quickly gave Anakin some life-energy, hopefully enough to get him to help.

As soon as he felt Anakin gripping to his mind to stay alive, Obi-Wan looked around and realized that despite Owen's careful directions, they had ended up hopelessly lost.

"Blast...." Obi-Wan muttered, as he got out of the speeder and looked around, hoping to spot someone who could tell him where to go. "Where is this strange medic?"

Quickly keeping his senses on Anakin, Obi-Wan moved away from the speeder to try and find the address himself. From what he could sense, Anakin would die if no help was soon available.

Because his mind was currently occupied in keeping Anakin alive, Obi-Wan didn't notice that he was being silently watched from the shadows beside a nearby building. 

Suddenly, Obi-Wan felt a blaster being jammed in his back, "Don't move," a stern voice said.

"Who are you and why are you jamming a blaster into my back?" Obi-Wan, who was too afraid to move and be shot for fear of not being able to help Anakin. "I don't have time for this."

There was a small hiss, "Who are you and why do you seek Doctor Kieran?" the voice asked in a rough tone, not moving the blaster away from Obi-Wan's back.


End file.
